New Frontier Hotel and Casino
Encyclopedia
The New Frontier was a hotel
and casino
located on the Las Vegas Strip
that had operated continuously since October 30, 1942. Actually located within the unincorporated suburb of Paradise, Nevada
, USA, it was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip
. The Frontier closed its doors for good at 12:00 A.M. (Pacific Time
) on July 16, 2007, and was demolished on November 13, 2007. A new hotel casino, tentatively titled the Las Vegas Plaza
, is proposed to be built in its place. The demolition and its preparation were filmed for the National Geographic Channel and a program called Blowdown: Vegas Casino.
The marquee of the hotel was still standing until December 10, 2008 when it was taken down at the request of Steve Wynn prior to the opening of the Encore Las Vegas across the street.
The resort had the distinction of hosting Elvis Presley
's first Vegas appearance in 1956, and the final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes on January 14, 1970.
In the 1950s and the early 1960s, the New Frontier went through a succession of owners and operators. In 1966 and 1967 the New Frontier had secret ownership interests by Anthony Joseph Zerilli
and Michael Polizzi, "two high-ranking members of the Detroit Mafia family" according to The Boardwalk Jungle by Ovid Demaris, along with Emprise Corporation (now called Delaware North Companies
. (In 1971, a federal trial in Los Angeles found Zerilli, Polizzi and four other individuals, along with Emprise, guilty of concealing their interest in the casino.)
On September 22, 1967, the resort was purchased for about $14 million by businessman Howard Hughes
, who then shortened its name to "The Frontier". Mr. Hughes purchased the resort from the previous owners, which had also included Steve Wynn
, with a 5% interest, in one of his early ventures when he first moved to the Las Vegas area. (Wynn indicated that he did not know that the other owners had mob connections.)
In 1988, Margaret Elardi bought The Frontier from the late Howard Hughes
company, Summa Corp.. Elardi had previously been the part-owner of the Pioneer Club Las Vegas
and the Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall
in Laughlin
. She closed the showroom, which had featured Siegfried and Roy, and down-scaled much of the hotel. In September 1991, union workers began a strike at the hotel, which would last for years.
Developer Phil Ruffin
bought the resort in 1998 from embattled owner Margaret Elardi and her two sons. In 1999, the name was changed back to The New Frontier.
Phil Ruffin sold the Frontier to ELAD, owners of The Plaza New York, who are planning The Plaza Las Vegas.
The New Frontier closed its doors on July 16, 2007, and demolished by implosion on November 13 (Clauss Construction and Controlled Demolition, Inc.). The entire property will be rebuilt as a new mega-resort on the Las Vegas strip.
In 2000, Ruffin announced plans to raze the current facility and replace it with a megaresort
with a San Francisco
theme, but high interest rates and the attacks of September 11, 2001 scuttled those plans. In March 2005, with Las Vegas' fortunes on the rise, Ruffin announced new plans to demolish the current facility and replace it with a new resort with 3,000 rooms. After 65 years of continuous operation, the Hotel/Casino permanently shut down on July 16, 2007, although the lights from its sign were still lit at night up to its demolition. Lettering on the hotel's marquees was removed on August 1, 2007.
, in partnership with Ruffin, has built a high-rise luxury hotel-condominium
on some of its property, named the Trump Hotel Las Vegas.
planned to build a $2 billion resort, Montreux (icon), entirely funded by him (with no partners), on the site of the New Frontier. The name Montreux comes from the famed Swiss resort which sponsors the yearly Montreux Jazz Festival.
The upscale 2,750 room resort was intended to compete with the Mirage and Harrah's Paris. It was to use jazz music as a draw. Ruffin said, "We don't really have a Strip casino that advertises good jazz music." A second Montreux Jazz Festival
could have been a yearly event at the resort.
The resort was to feature a 500 foot (152 m) tall Ferris wheel
similar in size to the famous London Eye
.
The site has 38.5 acres (15.6 ha) left after selling 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) to Donald Trump for the twin Trump Towers condo project located at the back of the property.
The Montreux bears a striking resemblance to the nearby Bellagio
.
in New York City
, intends to demolish the New Frontier and replace it with a replica to be called the Las Vegas Plaza
.
On May 16, 2007, it was announced to the 1,000+ employees of the New Frontier that the property would be closing on July 16, 2007 and be imploded on November 13, 2007. At 2:30 am on that day, the Atrium Tower was imploded with over 1,000 pounds of explosives.
The New Frontier sign was purchased by The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers
, who supposedly aims to erect it on a patch of desert he owns.
Local 226 in Las Vegas staged a strike against the New Frontier and the Elardis. A settlement was reached on October 28, 1997 when Ruffin announced he would purchase the New Frontier from the Elardis for $165 million. The strike ended when Ruffin officially took possession.
According to an article in the Las Vegas Sun
, the following events occurred during the strike:
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
and casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
located on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
that had operated continuously since October 30, 1942. Actually located within the unincorporated suburb of Paradise, Nevada
Paradise, Nevada
Paradise is an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas metropolitan area in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 223,167 at the 2010 census...
, USA, it was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. The Frontier closed its doors for good at 12:00 A.M. (Pacific Time
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
) on July 16, 2007, and was demolished on November 13, 2007. A new hotel casino, tentatively titled the Las Vegas Plaza
Las Vegas Plaza
The Las Vegas Plaza is the working name for a future $5 billion to $8 billion multi-use ultra-luxury hotel, private residences, retail and gaming complex to be developed on the Las Vegas Strip by ElAd Properties. Construction was scheduled to begin in early 2008 for completion in 2011, but no sign...
, is proposed to be built in its place. The demolition and its preparation were filmed for the National Geographic Channel and a program called Blowdown: Vegas Casino.
The marquee of the hotel was still standing until December 10, 2008 when it was taken down at the request of Steve Wynn prior to the opening of the Encore Las Vegas across the street.
History
The property started as a nightclub called Pair-O-Dice that opened in 1930, then The Ambassador Night Club in 1936 and was renamed the 91 Club in 1939 for its location on US-91. It was subsequently rebuilt and renamed the "Hotel Last Frontier" in 1942. On April 4, 1955, it was renamed the New Frontier, following a modernization of the resort.The resort had the distinction of hosting Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's first Vegas appearance in 1956, and the final performance of Diana Ross and The Supremes on January 14, 1970.
In the 1950s and the early 1960s, the New Frontier went through a succession of owners and operators. In 1966 and 1967 the New Frontier had secret ownership interests by Anthony Joseph Zerilli
Anthony Joseph Zerilli
Anthony Joseph Zerilli is an Italian-American mobster from Sterling Heights, Michigan who is the reputed underboss of the Detroit Partnership criminal organization, which is part of Cosa Nostra.-Early years:...
and Michael Polizzi, "two high-ranking members of the Detroit Mafia family" according to The Boardwalk Jungle by Ovid Demaris, along with Emprise Corporation (now called Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
. (In 1971, a federal trial in Los Angeles found Zerilli, Polizzi and four other individuals, along with Emprise, guilty of concealing their interest in the casino.)
On September 22, 1967, the resort was purchased for about $14 million by businessman Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
, who then shortened its name to "The Frontier". Mr. Hughes purchased the resort from the previous owners, which had also included Steve Wynn
Steve Wynn (developer)
Stephen Alan "Steve" Wynn is an American business magnate who played a pivotal role in the 1990s resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip...
, with a 5% interest, in one of his early ventures when he first moved to the Las Vegas area. (Wynn indicated that he did not know that the other owners had mob connections.)
In 1988, Margaret Elardi bought The Frontier from the late Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
company, Summa Corp.. Elardi had previously been the part-owner of the Pioneer Club Las Vegas
Pioneer Club Las Vegas
Pioneer Club Las Vegas was a casino that opened in 1942 and was located in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, at 25 East Fremont Street. It ceased operating as a casino in 1995, the same year the Fremont Street Experience was completed.-History:...
and the Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall
Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall
The Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall is a hotel and casino in Laughlin, Nevada known for its neon cigarette-puffing River Rick marque. It used to be a sister property of Pioneer Club in Las Vegas until both properties sold to separate parties.-History:...
in Laughlin
Laughlin (Nevada gaming area)
The American Gaming Association lists Laughlin as #17 out of the top 20 US Casino Markets by annual revenue, right behind Downtown. The Nevada Gaming Commission revenue as listed in the annual gaming abstract for fiscal year 2008 . Equivalent figures for Downtown are shown for comparison. Licenses...
. She closed the showroom, which had featured Siegfried and Roy, and down-scaled much of the hotel. In September 1991, union workers began a strike at the hotel, which would last for years.
Developer Phil Ruffin
Phil Ruffin
Phillip G. Ruffin is an American businessman. His business interests lie largely in casinos, greyhound racing tracks, oil production, convenience stores, and real estate. Ruffin lives in Las Vegas, Nevada....
bought the resort in 1998 from embattled owner Margaret Elardi and her two sons. In 1999, the name was changed back to The New Frontier.
Phil Ruffin sold the Frontier to ELAD, owners of The Plaza New York, who are planning The Plaza Las Vegas.
The New Frontier closed its doors on July 16, 2007, and demolished by implosion on November 13 (Clauss Construction and Controlled Demolition, Inc.). The entire property will be rebuilt as a new mega-resort on the Las Vegas strip.
Redevelopment plans
Megaresort
A Megaresort is a type of destination resort which is of an exceptionally large size, sometimes featuringlarge-scale attractions . The hotels along the Las Vegas Strip are most typically thought of as megaresorts owing to their immense size and complexity...
with a San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
theme, but high interest rates and the attacks of September 11, 2001 scuttled those plans. In March 2005, with Las Vegas' fortunes on the rise, Ruffin announced new plans to demolish the current facility and replace it with a new resort with 3,000 rooms. After 65 years of continuous operation, the Hotel/Casino permanently shut down on July 16, 2007, although the lights from its sign were still lit at night up to its demolition. Lettering on the hotel's marquees was removed on August 1, 2007.
Trump Tower
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, in partnership with Ruffin, has built a high-rise luxury hotel-condominium
Condo-hotel
A condo hotel, also known as a hotel-condo or a Condotel, is a building used as both a condominium and a hotel.Condo hotels are typically high-rise buildings developed and operated as luxury hotels, usually in major cities and resorts. These hotels have condominium units which allow someone to own...
on some of its property, named the Trump Hotel Las Vegas.
Montreux Las Vegas
Phil RuffinPhil Ruffin
Phillip G. Ruffin is an American businessman. His business interests lie largely in casinos, greyhound racing tracks, oil production, convenience stores, and real estate. Ruffin lives in Las Vegas, Nevada....
planned to build a $2 billion resort, Montreux (icon), entirely funded by him (with no partners), on the site of the New Frontier. The name Montreux comes from the famed Swiss resort which sponsors the yearly Montreux Jazz Festival.
The upscale 2,750 room resort was intended to compete with the Mirage and Harrah's Paris. It was to use jazz music as a draw. Ruffin said, "We don't really have a Strip casino that advertises good jazz music." A second Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
could have been a yearly event at the resort.
The resort was to feature a 500 foot (152 m) tall Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
similar in size to the famous London Eye
London Eye
The London Eye is a tall giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames, in London, England.It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually...
.
The site has 38.5 acres (15.6 ha) left after selling 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) to Donald Trump for the twin Trump Towers condo project located at the back of the property.
The Montreux bears a striking resemblance to the nearby Bellagio
Bellagio (hotel and casino)
Bellagio is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in the Paradise area of unincorporated Clark County, Nevada, USA and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It is owned by MGM Resorts International and was built on the site of the demolished Dunes hotel and casino.Inspired by the...
.
El Ad purchase
On May 15, 2007 it was announced that El Ad Properties plans to purchase the New Frontier for $1.2 billion. El Ad, which also owns the Plaza HotelPlaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel in New York City is a landmark 20-story luxury hotel with a height of and length of that occupies the west side of Grand Army Plaza, from which it derives its name, and extends along Central Park South in Manhattan. Fifth Avenue extends along the east side of Grand Army Plaza...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, intends to demolish the New Frontier and replace it with a replica to be called the Las Vegas Plaza
Las Vegas Plaza
The Las Vegas Plaza is the working name for a future $5 billion to $8 billion multi-use ultra-luxury hotel, private residences, retail and gaming complex to be developed on the Las Vegas Strip by ElAd Properties. Construction was scheduled to begin in early 2008 for completion in 2011, but no sign...
.
On May 16, 2007, it was announced to the 1,000+ employees of the New Frontier that the property would be closing on July 16, 2007 and be imploded on November 13, 2007. At 2:30 am on that day, the Atrium Tower was imploded with over 1,000 pounds of explosives.
The New Frontier sign was purchased by The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
, who supposedly aims to erect it on a patch of desert he owns.
The longest strike
From September 21, 1991 until February 1, 1998 members of the Culinary Workers UnionCulinary Workers Union
Culinary Workers Union or UNITE HERE local 226 is a private sector local union in Nevada, USA, affiliated with UNITE HERE, a national labor union. With 60,000 members, the Culinary Workers Union represents more members than any other union in Nevada, is the largest union local in a right-to-work...
Local 226 in Las Vegas staged a strike against the New Frontier and the Elardis. A settlement was reached on October 28, 1997 when Ruffin announced he would purchase the New Frontier from the Elardis for $165 million. The strike ended when Ruffin officially took possession.
According to an article in the Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas Sun
The Las Vegas Sun is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper. It is one of Las Vegas, Nevada's two daily newspapers. It is owned by the Greenspun family and is affiliated with Greenspun Media Group....
, the following events occurred during the strike:
- 17 CWU Local 226 strikers died.
- 106 babies were born to CWU member mothers who have walked the picket.
- The DunesDunes (hotel and casino)The Dunes Hotel was a Paradise, Nevada, hotel and casino that operated from May 23, 1955 to January 26, 1993, and was the tenth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. The Bellagio now stands on the former grounds.-History:...
, LandmarkThe Landmark Hotel and CasinoThe Landmark Tower was a hotel/casino located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Landmark opened on July 1, 1969 and closed on August 8, 1990.The Landmark played host to famous celebrities such as Danny Thomas, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Freddy Fender's first appearance.With just 525 rooms, the...
, SandsSands HotelThe Sands Hotel was a historic Las Vegas Strip hotel/casino that operated from December 15, 1952 to June 30, 1996. Designed by architect Wayne McAllister, the Sands was the seventh resort that opened on the Strip....
and HaciendaHacienda (resort)The Hacienda was a Paradise, Nevada hotel/casino that operated on the Las Vegas Strip from 1956 to 1996. It was one of four Hacienda properties owned by Standard Motels, Inc., with the other three being located in Fresno, Bakersfield, and Indio, California. The other Haciendas also featured the...
were all closed and imploded - More than 21,340 hotel rooms were constructed in the Las Vegas Strip.
- Construction on an additional 19,000 rooms and suites was started.
- 235 of the original 550 strikers had walked the line in shifts manned 24 hours a day.
Age
The Atrium Tower lasted only 18 years, being built in 1989 and imploded in 2007. The other two towers were built in 1967 and were dismantled by January of 2008.External links
- New Frontier Implosion Video - the implosion starts at 1:50
- KTNV New Frontier Implosion Coverage
- New Frontier photo from November 3rd, 2007